Study Desk

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed of Yahweh who has not forsaken his lovingkindness to the living and to the dead." Then Naomi said to her, "The man is our relative; he is one of our kinsman redeemers."

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not oppress you in another field."

Let it be that when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do."

And Boaz ate and drank and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

Then it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.

So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."

Then Boaz said, "On the day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the one who had died, in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance."

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the right of redemption and the exchange of land to establish any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.

So the kinsman redeemer said to Boaz, "Acquire this for yourself." And he removed his sandal.

And also, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance, so that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birth place; you are witnesses today."

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And Yahweh granted her conception, and she gave birth to a son.

Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is Yahweh who has not left you without a kinsman redeemer today, and may his name be proclaimed in Israel.

Then Naomi took the child and put him on her bosom and became his nurse.

Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Now that man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Yahweh there.

And the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, and he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;

And she made a vow and said, "O Yahweh of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a seed amongst men, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head."

Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh and turned back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what is good in your eyes. Remain until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish His word." So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.